The rapid growth and sudden decline of the societies.

By 1950, only half of the female student body could be in a society. Thus, President William Houston forced the creation of four new societies: the Chaille Rice Literary Society, the Mary Ellen Lovett Society, the Olga Keith Literary Society, and the Virginia Cleveland Literary Society.

While these new groups gave more women a chance to participate, these new groups did not last long. With the creation of the residential college system in 1957 and the opening of Jones College in September, women now had a physical home on campus. By 1968, only two societies existed: the Elizabeth Baldwin and the Owen Wister societies.